For all the great progress the Liverpool boys volleyball team had already made in 2019, it still was like every other large-school challenger in Central New York in that it was chasing Cicero-North Syracuse.
So it was that the Northstars and Warriors had their first head-to-head match last Monday night a Liverpool Middle School, and though Liverpool improved as the night went along, C-NS remained on top.
Prevailing in three sets 25-15, 25-17, 25-22, the Northstars saw Brandon Millias earn 23 assists and 10 digs, with Dan Seliger leading the front line as he earned 10 kills. Kevin Felasco had five kills, with Brandon Champion (four kills), Carter Wisely and Grant Sennett (three kills, three blocks) helping, too.
Liverpool, meanwhile, played strong defense as Jagger Alberici earned 17 digs and Anthony Pezzino got 10 digs. Nolan Feldt finished with 17 assists as Pezzino produced six kills and Aidan Shoemaker got three kills.
On Wednesday night, C-NS handled Oswego 25-19, 25-12, 25-16, with Seliger earning 10 kills and Sennett six kills. Felasco and Jon Hendry had four kills apiece as Millias gained 22 assists.
Liverpool, meanwhile, hosted Central Square and, after rolling through the first set 25-11, dropped a long second set 30-28 to the Redhawks. But demonstrating its resolve, the Warriors won the next two sets 25-21 and 25-20 to claim the match.
Quinn Moore featured in this match for Liverpool, earning 39 assists, his passes going to a well-balanced front line where Pezzino, who also earned 23 digs, matched Elliott DeForge as they earned 12 kills apiece. Jeremy LaManche added nine kills as Alberici earned 16 digs and Feldt finished with 10 digs.
A Friday-night match between C-NS and Jamesville-DeWitt saw the Northstars easily win the first two sets, but nearly allow the Red Rams to catch up before the Northstars won in four 25-17, 25-14, 21-25, 25-23.
It took 41 assists from Millias to see the match through as Seliger produced a team-best 15 kills along with five digs. Felasco had nine kills and six digs, with Wisely also earning nine kills, Henry getting seven kills and Sennett five kills. Trace LoRobardiere earned ninedigs.
In girls volleyball, Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse were both coming off appearances in the Sept. 28 Baldwinsville Fall Swing Tournament, and remained busy, the Warriors going 2-1 on the week and the Northsars prevailing twice.
Liverpool won a non-league match last Monday against Fulton, sweeping the Red Raiders 25-18, 25-21, 25-11 as Lexi Carfi had 13 assists, four kills, two aces and three digs. Sarah Ayling had five kills as Emma Terzini served up six aces, adding three kills as Abby Rowell and Haley Miles both had three kills and three blocks.
But it figured to turn around when it took on Baldwinsville a night later. Sure enough, the Bees beat the Warriors 25-7, 25-12, 25-9, though Carfi still had five assists and Ayling had four kills. Rileigh Kimball (17 kills) and Jenna Garvey (30 assists) paced the Bees.
C-NS wiped out Corcoran 25-2 in the first set of last Tuesday’s match before taking out the Cougars 25-14 and 25-10 in the remaining sets, the main feature Jennifer Carl’s astonishing 18 aces to go with 10 assists.
Given how many easy points were earned by Carl’s serves, the rest of the team could relax a bit, though Adrianna Houston, McKenna Johnston and Madison Roche each had three kills and Cassidy Ormond got six assists.
Two nights later, at West Genesee, the Northstars survived two tough sets, winning them 25-22 and 25-23, before closing out the Wildcats 25-19 in the third for another sweep.
Carl earned 22 assists, adding three kills and four digs. Up front, Houston, with 12 kills, led a well-balanced front line where Aurora Lesinski gained 10 kills and Brooke Segars added eight kills. Libero Hannah Mingle got 14 digs and Segars added 10 digs.
As this went on, Liverpool routed Nottingham 25-9, 25-3, 25-9. Ayling and Carfi both produced four aces as Ayling also got four kills, with Morgan Caviness adding five assists.
